


Your lips devour me and spit me out satisfied

by tazza12



Series: (Don't Fear) The Reaper [1]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Cock & Ball Torture, Curses, Demon Louis, Depression, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, One True Pairing, Possessive Behavior, Reincarnation, Snakes, Soul Bond, Spells & Enchantments, Spirit World, Werewolves, Witch Harry Styles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:06:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24675067
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tazza12/pseuds/tazza12
Summary: When a spell goes wrong Harry finds himself cursed with hearing and seeing the dead. But what's worse is the fact he summons a demon who apparently made a deal with him in a past life. This demon is Louis, who Harry happens to fall madly in love with.But love cannot stop the dead from dying and the sinners from sinning.
Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson
Series: (Don't Fear) The Reaper [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1784962
Comments: 12
Kudos: 40





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, I wrote this fic in three days. One of my all time FAVORITE tropes is about demons, more specifically Harry or Louis as a demon. I also spent most of my high school days coming up with witchsonas. Harry is based on a witchsona of myself (h e h e) but he really became his own person in this fic.
> 
> Also my world building is shoddy at best and the Spirit Realm was heavily influenced by Avatar: The Last Airbender and Legend of Korra as well as melting pot of religious beliefs.
> 
> SPEAKING OF INFLUENCE!!!!!
> 
> A huge, huge shout-out for this work goes out too coffinofachimera. More specifically their work Sodom& Gomorrah. The necklace scene and my Louis are a pale and shabby ode to their AMAZING DEMON LOUIS. I've probably read that fic a hundred times since 2016. I would not feel right if I didn't take this moment to credit them with one of the most beautiful stories I have ever read. I realize some parts are borderline plagerism and I hope I was able to rework it in a different light. If you read this and feel it is please let me know. My judgement is pretty flawed at times.
> 
> But with that said I hope you enjoy my favorite story so far. Thank you.❤️

As with all living creatures Harry's life began when he was birthed from his mother's womb. He was born on the first of February when the snow still stuck to the ground. His family consisted of his mother, father, sister, and himself. He was named Harry in honor of his grandfather.

But this wasn't Harry's first time on the mortal plane. His soul was an old one. It had been around since the first homosapiens crawled out of the caves. It had lived countless lifetimes before this one. A fact Harry wouldn't discover until later in life. And like many reincarnations before him, Harry's life was filled with death and heartache.

For Harry the power of death first plagued him with his mother's passing. Harry had been six. To young to understand the cycle of all living things, to know death was natural and unavoidable. He only knew his mother was gone and he would never see her again, hear her again, smell her flowery perfume.

She hadn't left him empty handed. His first memories centered around magick. His mother was a decendant of a long line of witches. Since before he could walk his mother incorporated magick in Harry's daily life, from charms and summonings and potions that cured anything from a tummy ache to a broken bone. It was a magick she had passed down to both his sister and himself. A magick Harry was unnaturally attuned to. A magick that oozed from his finger tips and pores as if he had carried it inside for years. Which he had in fact, but again, that tidbit of information was yet to be revealed.

Looking back Harry wondered if he had known the power the swirled inside him was so great that perhaps he could have prevented what was undoubtedly the stupidest mistake in his life.

At six years old, two weeks after his mother's funeral, Harry had snuck into his parent's room and stole his mother's grimoire. Technically it was his family's grimoire, one passed down from generation to generation. The leather bound book was fat with spell after spell from witches long dead, expanding to allow the next owner to write their own spellwork and findings. It was heavy and reeked with power. 

Harry remembered the anxiety that cut up his stomach when he snuggled the grimoire to his room. His mother had only let him look upon it three times, each with her supervision. For all the good magick brought it could also be used for harm. Magick was a seductive force, neither good nor bad- but a blend of both. It had the power to corrupt even the purest of hearts.

He made sure to lock his door and close his curtains. Once the room was secure Harry set about finding the reanimation spell. How Harry knew of such a spell was a mystery. When the coven inquired how he came about it Harry would tell them intuition. In all actuality, it was Harry's destiny. Every step he took since birth led him to that moment in time.

It took half an hour to draw a pentagram on his floor in blood, to set a piece of the elements on each point of the star, to light the black and red candles until his eyes watered from the smoke.

The next step required something from his mother's physical body in which Harry used pieces of hair from her brush. He also set a picture of her laughing and smiling onto his pentagram. Harry held his breath as his fingers ran over the runes and old text. He repeated the foreign words over and over until his jaw ached.

Harry took ten deep breaths and once the clock stuck three a.m., he began.

At first nothing seemed to happen. His room was still and quiet save for his voice. He felt no tangible change, no hint of magick that hinted of a greater force at work. Frustration ate him as well as a burning desire to see his mother, to have her brush his curls back and kiss his forehead. He wanted to see her so bad he was willing to barter his own life in exchange for one last hug.

That's when the mouth to hell opened before him.

Suddenly Harry's small room was pitch black and filled with piercing screams and the pungent scent of brimstone. Demons and spirits shoved their way through his floorboards and sunk their claws into his ankles. His eyelids peeled back to witness burning corpses and flesh ripped from bone. The contents of his stomach spewed from his mouth and Harry screamed, his nails ripped and snagged on the carpet as he tried to fight against the ghouls pulling him into the portal.

He cried and begged for his mother- his father. Anyone to save him.

And then He appeared. 

A deathly pale hand reached for his and Harry's bloody fingers clung to it for dear life. Eyes the color of sapphires stared back at him, a pair of lips exposing glinting fangs and a forked tongue.

I've found you.

And then Harry's body was being catapulted out of the portal and into a steel pair of arms. All at once the tortured wails of human souls and hellish visions faded away. The portal closed and with it all the darkness in his room vanished, leaving Harry shaking and sobbing into his savior's arms. The grimoire snapped closed and all traces of magick evaporated.

Harry stared into His blue eyes and something inside his soul slid and clicked into place.

Louis, a demon who went by a thousand names and who's lineage predated Sumerian scriptures, had found him once again in this life.

According to Louis, he and Harry had been bound in a soul contract for centuries. In their first life together Harry had been an orphan neglected and abused by his village due to his 'other-wordly' abilities. One night the villagers tied him with rope and doused his skin in animal fat before burning him alive. In his rage Harry had used every bit of magick to summon some being of revenge. Louis had answered and in exchange for Harry's soul Louis vowed to protect and serve him.

As Harry cackled from the ashes of the fire Louis had tore his way through the village dismembering man, woman, and child in retribution. 

When Harry had died years later Louis waited patiently to collect his bounty. But to his complete and utter shock Harry's soul had reincarnated into a new body and Louis was cursed to follow him in that life and every life after until Harry's soul decided its time on Earth was done.

Nearly a thousand years later Harry's soul was still recycling itself, Louis never far behind.

The only difference was instead of hating him- something Louis had done for his first forty reincarnations- Louis had grown to love Harry deeply. As a demon the notion of soulmates was taboo considering demons didn't have souls to begin with. But if Louis had been human, something he had longed for the more time he shared with Harry, he knew Harry would have been his.

Harry on the other hand had been terrified. One moment he was a grieving six year old and the next a demon was professing his undying love to him.

It also didn't help that the second Harry cast his eyes away from Louis he was assaulted with wicked apparitions. Spectors, spirits- whatever they were, floated and bobbed all around him.

Harry had screamed and then blacked out.

When he woke he was in a bed surrounded by the Coven - witches and wizards who governed all magick folk in the area. Healers glided their hands above his body with white light trying to settle him. His father and sister huddled in the corner with tear stained faces.

Edora, a witch who was close to his mother, opened her mouth to speak when Harry yelled. Behind her a bubbling black mass loomed, teeth spread in a vicious grin as if imagining Edora's head between its teeth.

The Healers startled and a wizard flailed his hands in alarm. He continued to yell when more spirits made their presence known, each more horrific than the last. Edora lifted her hand as if to knock him out and Louis materialized out of thin air.

"That won't help."Louis's voice rang out across the room. "He's been touched by Hell itself."

"Who the fuck are you?" Harry's father growled.

Louis perched on the edge of Harry's bed resembling a little king. "Not important."

An elderly man Harry had never met pursed his lips. His eyes narrowed with suspicion and he flicked his cane towards Louis. "That Des, is a demon. A rather powerful one if I'd say."

A hiss rumbled amongst the Coven. At this point Harry had stopped screaming but was on the verge of hyperventilating. He clapped his palms over his eyes and sunk down into the sheets. 

He jumped when his foot nudged Louis's hip and quickly retracted his legs. Louis ignored his attempt at space and ensnared Harry's ankle with his long fingers. Harry whimpered in fear but went quiet as a warm pulse of magick shot through him. It numbed the fear building inside his chest and made him rather drowsy. He blinked and felt another pulse richoced between them. 

Louis turned his head slightly and Harry caught the slight curve of his lips.

"A demon? Why the fuck are you just standing there? Get that thing away from my son!" His father bellowed. Behind him his sister started crying again.

The Coven exchanged grim looks and the elderly man heaved out a long sigh. He eyed Louis wearily. "You connected to this child didn't you? When he opened the portal?"

Louis scoffed. "Long before that. But he did summon me. It's very impressive actually, a child possessing that much strength."

Harry's father stalked closer to Louis and bore down on him. "I don't know what sick game you're playing but you're going to leave my son alone and sulk off to whatever fucking cave you crawled out of."

Louis's smile turned sinister. He rose from the bed and stared Harry's father down. "Or what, daddy? From the smell of it you're just another scummy mortal. I bet you'd taste disgusting." His voice grew dark and raspy, scary. "Your boy and I have a soul contact. But you wouldn't know shit about that now would you?"

Edora's face turned ashen. "Oh Goddess." She turned to the elderly man. "Alexei, there has to be something we can do. He's only six years old!"

Every head in the room turned towards Alexei. His face grew more resentful with every second that ticked by. "This requires a deeper look. Unfortunately there is nothing we can do regarding a contract. Harry and this… entity… made a deal of some sort." Alexei's grey eyes focused on Harry. "I'm sorry."

Harry shut his eyes and began to cry.

After that, the Coven placed Harry under constant supervision. He spent the next two years receiving weekly visits from the Healers who tried to ease him of his stress and fear. It did next to nothing. No matter how hard they tried Harry was mentally and physically exhausted.

Everywhere he looked spirits loitered about. Most paid him no mind. Those were Harry's favorite. But then there were the malevolent ones who eyed Harry like he was juicy steak. They loved frightening him, corraling him into corners and making him feel like prey. The only reason they didn't attack was because of Louis. 

Being an ancient demon had perks. All spirits and spectors feared Louis just as Harry in turn feared them. Louis kept constant physical contact with him, usually in the form of an iridescent white snake curled around his shoulders or arm. 

Whereas in the beginning Harry had been skeptical of the demon, he now craved Louis's presence. Louis was charming, hilarious, and uncharacteristically kind- at least to Harry he was. When it came to his father or the Coven Louis instantly became irate. He saw them as a threat and constantly stated that he was the only one who could help Harry with his newly acquired mediumship.

The Coven claimed otherwise. Harry wasn't the first witch to be a bridge between spirits and humans. Many had an affinity for it. However Harry was a special case in the sense that he didn't see human ghosts. Instead Harry was tied to the Spirit Realm, a sliver of his being forever intertwined with dead. This, along with Harry being a prodigy of witchcraft, caused Alexei to mentor Harry as if he was his son. He introduced him to many different magickal beings and tutored him in the craft. 

Harry spent the next sixteen years of his life becoming one of England's strongest witches. Louis remained faithfully by his side, from herb collecting to cleansings to attending high school. Louis was his best friend, his confidante, his protector, and somewhere down the line his lover.

Unfortunately his close relationship with Louis drove a rift between Harry and his father. Harry used to be angry about it. He used to cry about the fact his father couldn't look him in the eye, couldn't hold a conversation, was embarrassed about Harry's magickal prowess. But the older he got the better he understood. His father wasn't a bad man. He loved him just as fiercely as he always had. His father wasn't magickally endowed though. He didn't understand why Harry's life had spiraled in such a direction. Didn't know why his son chose the company of a demon instead of his family.

When Harry graduated school he decided to move out. He loved his family but he needed his space. He wanted to be himself, to hone his craft, to give Louis the freedom to roam the mortal plane in whatever form he pleased. Harry loved him as a darling black and rust colored cat, his snake skin was also very beneficial to his spellwork. But you couldn't make out with an animal, much less have a romantic relationship with them. And his father's number one rule was for Louis to remain in animal form. Just because he couldn't stop Louis didn't mean he couldn't put his foot down in other matters.

When Des first relayed this to Louis and Harry, Louis had went ballistic and threatened to rip his father's heart out and eat it. How dare a puny mortal order him to play pet? Harry had bursted out crying at the threat of losing his last parent and with curses hissed in dead languages Louis had relented. He spent the next few minutes licking Harry's tears with his rough cat tongue.

But that felt like a life time ago. Now he was twenty-two and lived in a small coastal town north of Brighton. Harry had always loved the beach, a trait passed down from his past lives according to Louis. He rented a one bedroom flat on the second story, equipped with a tiny balcony Harry decked out with windchimes and plants. 

The decor inside could only be described as eclectic with various knickknacks, crystals, books, candles, and furniture he upcycled from the street. His kitchen was a mess of herbs, spices, oils, and various dried flowers hanging from the ceiling. His bedroom was his favorite part. A medium sized alter sat along the wall and his queen bed pushed under the window. A plush indigo carpet balanced out his silk pillows and vibrant bed set. 

Louis was slower on the uptake when it came to material possessions. He was used to being incorporal or an animal so the concept of buying clothes or art or furniture was still lost to him. However with Harry's incestent goading he had purchased a skateboard, two different guitars, a game console, and to Harry's shock, a street bike. Apparently Louis thought they were badass and his fantasies featured Harry as his little princess clinging to him for dear life as they sped off into the sunset. Obviously the demon had been binge watching Grease again.

Harry landed a job at a local cafe as a barista to help pay the bills. Most of his revenue came from his online jewelry store and his spellwork. People constantly sought him out for his gifts and Harry was just happy he wasn't persecuted for them like his previous selves had been. Louis mentioned Harry had a numerous amount of past lives where he had been murdered for his magick and that death by fire was so thirteenth century.

It was days like this however, where a soft pitter patter of rain cleansed the world and a rerun of Friends was playing low in the background while Louis catnapped on the chaise that Harry loved the most. Dinner was simmering on the stove and filled the air with vegetable broth and meat and rosemary. Harry was currently constructing a bessom for the full moon in two days. It was such a calming and grounding activity. One he looked forward to every month.

Since childhood Harry had all but mastered mediumship. He often communed with deceased persons and the spirits that followed him wherever he went. It was his most popular service and he was hailed as one of the best Death Witches in the world.

Despite this Harry had yet to contact his mother. He knew it wouldn't be like last time. Tarot was far more secure that a fucking reanimation spell. Not to mention he was older, educated, and his demon boyfriend would be there every step of the way. But whenever he thought of it or touched his cards with the intent of channeling her….all he could hear were the inhuman screams of purgatory. The talons of ghouls slicing into his Achilles tendon and dragging him down, down, down.

Pale arms with a smattering of tattoos wrapped around his waist and Louis's silky smooth voice caressed his ear. "What's wrong, Hazzy? You're aura is all depressed."

Harry leaned back into his lover's chest and heaved out a long sigh. "It's nothing.'

Harry could almost feel Louis rolling his eyes. Despite not being exactly empathic Louis still possessed the ability to tell when one was lying. Usually it fed his demonic nature and evoked feelings of bloodlust. Old habits died hard. But instead of torturing Harry for the truth Louis nosed into his neck. "Do you want me to bite someone's head off? Or devour the souls of their loved ones?"

Harry couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up his throat and at Harry's delight Louis purred with content. "No, Lou. It's got nothing to do with another person. It's just…" Louis placed a sweet kiss on his neck and one of his hands began to rub his tummy. "What would have happened if I didn't summon you that night?"

Louis's purr died in his throat and he pulled back in order to turn Harry's face towards him. His eyes were a burning flame- a million secrets and revelations dancing in his irises. One of his bone white hands cupped Harry's jaw gently and his thumb pressed into his temple tenderly. "What the hell brought that up?"

Harry shrugged and redirected his gaze to the dip of Louis's collar bone. The demon had grown a fondness for mudane tattoos and Harry traced the curling font of his It What Is What It Is chest piece. "Just curious."

The crushing weight of Louis's attention made Harry look up. Louis's face had grown serious, an irritated tick in his jaw. Harry raised a brow. "It's that bad?"

Louis snorted. "Don't tell me you forgot about your little experiment."

Harry's gut twisted violently. "Of course not. But that's why I'm asking. Everyone I've talked to and every book I've read depicts the Realm as an outward projection of the human soul. Why is that as a child I was being dragged to Hell?"

"You know, for being a prodigy you can be pretty stupid." Harry rammed his elbow into Louis's stomach and the demon wheezed. Louis rubbed his abdomen and at Harry's glare he placed another kiss on Harry's skin. "What? It's not a bad thing."

"Lou, be serious. That spell, that place…. It wanted me. I could feel it. I could feel what those spirits wanted. There was no good, no divinity. Just…"

"Evil?" Louis quipped. Harry bit his lip and nodded. Louis sighed and tilted his head back so he was looking at the ceiling. Harry threaded their hands together and waited for him to speak. Finally after what seemed likes hours, Louis's melodic voice broke the silence of the room. "Haz, do you remember what you were thinking when you cast the spell?"

Harry blinked. "My mother."

"Think harder. It wasn't just her. You thought something else." At Harry's confusion Louis groaned. "Well, I guess it was a traumatic experience. Humans have a funny way of forgetting pain." 

"Lou," Harry prodded.

Louis peered down at him. His voice was raspy and low when he spoke, almost a hiss. "You offered yourself. Again. You know, you have a knack for that no matter what body your in. But time and time again you seem to forget that you're mine."

"But I didn't. I didn't offer anything. I didn't make any pact. I didn't even if know the spell would work."

"No, you did. Believe me when I say that whenever a human bargains their body or soul every spirit in the Realm can feel it. Especially the darker ones. Not to mention your magick ripped open a portal. The number of devils and sinners who would kill to walk as flesh and blood are insane. And you were a child. An innocent. The easiest prey to lesser spirits."

Dread settled upon Harry's body. It was a fact that in his pursuit to understand his new found powers and come to terms with his trauma Harry had never found a record of a mortal entering the Realm. Witches could astral travel there of course, or conjure the entities that resided there, but they never stepped so much as big toe in the Realms. Which made sense. It was the home of the spirits. Physical bodies had no place there. Flesh and blood and bone were obsolete. But Harry… Harry's body did enter. At least partially. It was why, according to Alexei and Louis himself, Harry had been teethered to the Realm indefinitely. A part of him had splintered off, a part of his soul, and ever since Harry had been cursed to see and hear spirits wherever he went.

Licking his lips Harry repeated his question in a small voice. "What would've happened if I didn't summon you?"

Louis arms tightened around him like a vice. "In simple terms, your body would've been tossed in the pits of Hell. Every bad spirit and demon would've fought for it. Your soul would have been removed and shattered, it would cease to exist."

"A-and my body?"

Louis averted his eyes. "Whatever won would have possessed you and try to escape to Earth. Or it would be ripped to pieces and eaten slowly. But due to the fact you would technically still been alive you would have felt every single thing they did to you."

"Oh."

Louis's eyes narrowed into slits. The atmosphere between them was so thick Harry could've cut it with a knife. But then a knock of the door sounded and Louis bounced up, a blinding smile on his face. "Foods here!"

Harry watched as Louis all but danced to the door. He shook his head and a grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. Even though he was a millennia old demon something as simple as Chinese food reduced him to an overly excited puppy.

The ash wood broom Harry had been working on laid in front him, bundles of sprigs and flowers and branches strewn hapazardly. His pure intentions had been clouded by the fear his knew knowledge gave him, and not wanting to taint the sacred wood Harry pushed it away.

His fingers brushed his ankles where the scars remained, the only physical wound he received from the Realm. His chest siezed with anxiety and his eyes burned with tears.

"Haz, what have I told you about your aura? It's too dark for a sweet thing like you."

Harry sniffed and shook his head. He heard a rustling of bags and then Louis's arms were around him, craddling him. Louis pressed Harry's head into his neck and Harry couldn't muffle his sob.

Louis held him tighter and began to coo at him. It was times like this Harry was so grateful, so blessed, that his past self had been so reckless. That somehow Louis was his, and he Louis's.

"I'll never let anything hurt you, Harry. Ever."

The next day Harry came home from work frazzled and grumpy. It had been a shit day. First, Harry had woken up to his curls standing on end. Literally. Harry's magick always had a strange way of manifesting itself and today it had decided to resemble a porcupine. Louis nearly peed himself from laughing. 

After he got his hair somewhat tame he left for work, which surprise surprise he was late. And then to make matters worse out of nowhere the sky opened up and pummeled the earth with rain. Then work itself was its own particular brand of hellish with a handful of call outs and broken espresso machines and terrible customers. So suffice to say when he slumped his way into the flat he was less than tickled.

Harry shucked off his boots and made his way to the bedroom. The flat was uncharacteristically quiet. It took Harry a second to figure out why. Louis was gone.

It wasn't so much as concerning as it was annoying. Harry was the first to admit that having Louis constantly at his side for most of his life made him very codependent. Not the best of traits, he knew, and he always wrestled with the dark web of fear and suspicion that grew in the demon's absence. It was just so easy to get caught up in his boyfriend's sarcasm and gentle touches, to forget that normal people didn't have a whole person at their every beck and call. 

Then again Harry had never been quote on quote normal.

It wasn't as if Harry had a problem with Louis's independence. Sometimes he wished the demon could just give him five minutes of space. But at the same time Louis was so secretive with his outings. He would disappear randomly and then pop up out of thin air with a present or new tattoo or a pleased expression. And it wasn't as if Harry really cared what Louis did. Louis was his own person and was entitled to a life. It was just sometimes Harry had a feeling that something wasn't right. 

His scalp would tingle or his gut clentch and Harry's instincts would scream that Louis was up to something. Which ate Harry up inside because like ninety percent of Louis Things the demon was always tight lipped. But that was a fact Harry tended to forget. Louis was a demon. Not a familiar, not a simple spirit or mortal. He was an ancient being that was responsible for famine, plague, and death.

Harry loved him just the same. Even if he was on a one way ticket to eternal damnination.

His bones ached with weariness and cold so he decided to draw a bath. He lit a plethora of candles and then added lavender and chamomile. He set his intentions and slipped in a heating charm before stripping. He moaned as the hot water washed away the day's trials. 

He must have dosed off because when he peeled open his eyes the water had grown tepid and the candles burned to stumps. Movement from his right caused him to jump and splash himself with water. From the closed lid of the toilet Louis's teeth gleamed, his eyes the brightest object in the room.

"Times it?" Harry croaked. 

Louis hummed. "Quarter to midnight. You should get out, lovie. You're all pruney."

Harry tipped his head back and groaned. His butt and legs had gone numb, his neck had a crick in it and despite all this Harry couldn't find an ounce of motivation to move. As if reading his mind Louis conjured a towel out of thin air and in a breath of a second Harry's body was removed from the bath and in Louis's arms. Harry frowned and wrapped his arms around the demon's neck as he carried him to the bed. 

Louis plopped him down on the blue sheets and started to dry his body off. A low heat started to stir in his belly and Harry watched with half closed eyes as Louis glided the towel over his thigh. The demon caught his gaze and flashed his teeth again before sinking them into the sensitive skin. Harry jerked from the pain and Louis shushed him. 

The demon continued his ministrations and by the time he got to Harry's shoulder his body was littered with dark red bruises and welts. Harry huffed at Louis's satisfaction. "Don't look so pleased. I'm a person not a chew toy."

Louis supplied a quick slap to Harry's hip. "Don't act like you don't love it. Now where is your essential oil?"

"The same place they always are, under the altar."

Louis kissed his palm and disappeared, returning with a handful of bottles. He tore off his shirt and joggers until he was naked, milky skin branded with pictures and symbols, cock flaccid against his thigh. Harry felt his face flush as he took in his fill of the gorgeous body in front of him. As a child Harry always thought of Louis as pretty. Pretty eyes, pretty hair, pretty collarbones and legs. But he also knew it was an illusion. Louis's true form was something entirely different from his mundane one. The body that stood before him was hand crafted by Louis himself, an omage to the humans he had observed for years. But his real form, his real body, was a burning question in the back of Harry's mind.

"If you're lucky you'll never see it." Louis commented as he straddled Harry's waist. 

Harry rubbed his thumbs over the fine hair that blanketed the demon's thighs. "Stop reading my mind. It's an invasion of privacy."

Louis tsked. "Stop thinking so loud then." He held out two bottles. "Ylang-ylang or rosehip?"

"Both, please."

Louis pinched his hip. "Spoiled little brat."

Harry grinned and closed his eyes. His breath left him as Louis's warm hands began sliding over Harry's neck and shoulders. He twisted his head to the side and went pilant, skin becoming clay for Louis to mold. The demon dug his fingers into the nape of his neck and pressed kisses into Harry's cheek. He then moved onto massaging his shoulders and down his chest. 

Harry cracked his eyes open to see Louis's licking his lips and Harry cupped his face in his palms. His eyes were hellfire and temptation rolled into one, so beautiful, so destructive. Harry moaned and Louis's control snapped as he dominated Harry's mouth in a scorching kiss. Their tongues met and tangled, Louis wasting no time in licking past his teeth.

For a few minutes the only sound in the room was the slick wet slide of their mouths and the gasps of pleasure from Harry. The ylang-ylang and rose hip drenching the room in a sickly sweet smell, making his head feel heavy. Louis's lips broke away from Harry's and traveled down his body. His bit at his nipples and Harry's hands curled into fists, his nails leaving crescent shape indents. 

"Lou," Harry begged, eyes wet with tears of frustration. Louis shushed him again, his eyes swallowing Harry whole. Harry cried out when Louis's hand grazed over Harry's throbbing cock, fingers wrapping around the thick length like a vice. "Lou, please."

Instead of caving into Harry's demands Louis made a quick flick with his wrist and Harry screamed as a harsh slap was given to his cock. Louis gave him a smirk and pulled out a silver necklace with a small ankh dangling from the middle. With fluid motions he wrapped it around Harry's cock and balls and pulled. Harry yelped at the pain and felt the head of his dick blurt out precum. Louis swiped at the liquid with his thumb and brought it to his mouth, the forked tongue of a serpent licking it clean. 

Harry's eyes rolled into the back of his head.

Louis's hand crushing his trachea brought his attention back to the demon above him. Louis's pupils had dialated to inky black slits and his body thrummed with an opressive power that filled the room. Harry felt like a mouse caught in a snake's lair, being squeezed to death but not caring because of the captivating creature before him. 

"Pay attention, Hazzy. You seem to forget that I own you. That I call the shots." His forked tongue licks a fat stripe up Harry's face. Louis's nostrils flared with Harry's arousal, his fear. "Maybe I've been too sweet on you, hm? Spoiled you too much. My little human pet." Louis eased the pressure on his neck and Harry choked on fresh air. He's been a crying, pathetic mess since Louis began his torture and it does little to sway the demon. Instead Harry feels his dick grow, the sadist that Louis will forever be taking pleasure in Harry's misery. It's fucking hot is what it is. 

Louis shoved three of his fingers into the plush heat of Harry's mouth and instantly Harry starts to suck. Louis shivered when Harry's dipped his tongue between the webbing of his fingers. In retaliation the demon pulled on the cock ring and Harry keened. "Or should I give you a break? I've trained you so well. Ripped you apart and put you back together so many times you can't even remember which limb goes where."

His fingers retracted from his mouth and Harry whimpered. He reached for the demon, craving his touch, his love. Louis's tongue slithered out to collect his tears, the comforting weight of his body following. Harry sighed in relief, then pain when Louis twisted three fingers into his hole. 

"Shit." Harry hissed. 

Louis bit at his thighs and thrusted his fingers in deeper causing Harry's hole to spasm. Louis chuckled darkly. "It's amazing how tight you are considering we fuck last night. Did you use magick baby?"

Harry shook his head and Louis ripped his fingers out. Harry cried out in displeasure at the sudden emptiness. "Lou-"

"Liars get nothing." The demon replied smoothly.

Harry slammed his head against the pillow and hot tears cut his cheeks. He breathed in harshly and muttered in humiliation. "Yes. I used magick."

Louis fucked his cock into Harry so roughly his head bashed against the wall. 

Louis's cupped the back of Harry's head and the other clamped around his thigh. Gone was the restraint and tenderness. In its place was pure lust and aggression. Hsrry was lost in the throws of pleasure as Louis hammered into him. Every place the demon touched sizzled and Harry's eyes forced out more tears at the delicious pain. Louis was panting into his neck, words slurring between Latin, Portuguese, Hebrew, and English.

Harry tried to focus on the english and it took him a few minutes to get his brain working. "My love. Amicus meus, socius meus, vitae meae sodalis. So good for me, baby. So perfect. So dirty." He yanked the necklace around his cock and Harry cried out as he cummed. 

Or tried too. Louis was holding the chain so tight Harry's dick had gone purple, veins bulging with blood and his balls ready to burst. Louis yanked again, pulling harder and harder so when he leaned onto his back Harry had no choice but to follow. The new position had Harry screeching, Louis filling him to the brim, member hard as steel.

"Fuck yourself, Harry. Show me how obidient you are." Louis commanded. 

Harry sucked in a raggard breath, barely able to see through his blurry eyes. Louis slapped his ass and Harry jolted, crying out as Louis dick speared his prostate. "Oh my god!"

Louis delivered five more smacks to his blistering cheeks. "Move."

Blood rushed through Harry's ears and he stuttered out an apology. Louis observed him with dark eyes and Harry was mesmerized. Without another thought he lifted his hips until the engorged head threatened to pop out and paused. Louis made no move, no sound, looking bored. Anger washed through his blood like acid and Harry impaled himself with all the strength he had left.

He and Louis both moaned. Harry built up momentum and chased his high, angling his hips just right so Louis punched his prostate relentlessly. Louis voice had gone sharp like razors and brimstone flooded Harry's nose. Harry brushed his hand down Louis's cheek, marveling at his dewey skin and sepertine eyes. "I love you."

Louis roared and Harry's breath was knocked out of him as his back hit the wall. Louis cocked had grown, literally. His normal eight inches now an incredible eleven and all of it was stuffed up Harry's hole, splitting him open and making him keen with it's girth. Louis caught his face between his hands and they locked eyes. Green into blue, human into demon, soul into the souless. 

Harry slid a hand down to his aching cock and fiddle with the restraint. Louis was huffing out great breaths, thighs spreading Harry's wider, fingertips circling the place where they joined. Harry lessened the cock ring as Louis pushed a finger in beside his dick and Harry blacked out as he came.

Louis pumped in once, twice, three times- and then Harry's insides were flooded with molten hot spunk. Harry's body shuddered and he squeezed his thighs a few times relishing in the euphoria. 

Louis supported Harry's dead weight as he settled them on the bed. He detangled the necklace and let it drop between the sheets, lost until morning.

Harry was still shaking, body covered in sweat as Heaven flashed behind his eyelids. Louis snickered as he gathered Harry impossibly closer, kissing his brows, checks, nose, lips. He raked his nails over Harry's scalp while Harry tried to find his way back to Earth. After a while Louis pulled his limp cock out and purred as his cum leaked down Harry's thighs.

"My little love," The demon cooed. Harry stirred, doe eyes blinking open sluggishly. Louis had a soft smile on his face. He gave Harry a chaste kiss and snapped his fingers to open the window. Harry moaned as the brisk night air caressed his feverish skin. "You did so well, Hazza. Always so beautiful for me."

Harry tried to respond but his mouth felt thick with glue. He used his last bits of energy to think, I love you, before his eyes welded shut. 

Louis pulled a thin sheet over them and whispered, "I love you more."

Two days later Harry was putting the finishing touches on his ritual bessom when it happened. A cackling of power charged the air and made the hair on Harry's arm stand up. He stood up and placed the bessom on the bed, a bad feeling running through him. 

He jumped when the glass windchimes he enchanted to alert him of visitors began to sing and dance. Harry opened the bedroom door right as Louis's voice boomed, "Haz! You're sister's here. I think she killed someone!"

Harry sprinted to the front door and slid straight into Louis who looked far too amused. In the entry way sat his sister, eyes blown wide with guilt and terror, tears flooding her face and entire body racked with tremors. Beside her laid the body of a young man with dark skin and short cropped hair. Body unnaturally still.

"Harry, Harry! I didn't mean to, I was just so mad-" His sister cried.

Louis laughed and Harry couldn't even bring himself to berate him. Falling to his knees he touched the man's skin and panic gripped him at the icy tempature. "Gemma, what did you do?"

Louish crouched beside him and poked the man's forhead. He retracted his finger and wiped it on the back of Harry's shirt. "That Harry, is a werewolf whose soul has been cursed out of it body."

Gemma wailed and Harry hung his head in shock. 

He couldn't have one god damned break.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It’s time to let go,  
> give in,  
> and succumb,  
> And dance with her spirit,  
> where two become one"

Harry took three deep breaths and pried his sister's hands away from the body. She let go easily and buried her face in her hands, sharp noises like a wounded animal escaping her mouth. 

Louis placed a hand on her head as if she was a child who dropped her ice cream instead of a witch who accidentally murdered her boyfriend. "There, there. At least he can't shed anymore. Or track mud into the house. Or give you fleas!"

"He didn't have fleas!" Gemma screamed distraught.

"Shut up!" Harry commanded as he searched for a pulse on the man's neck. He sighed with relief and sat back on his heels. "He's not dead, not yet at least. Lou help me take him to the bed."

Louis scrunched his nose.

Harry gritted his teeth. "So help me God if you don't suck it up and help me I won't have sex with you for a week!"

Louis groaned and threw up his hands. The man's body vanished and Gemma lost it. "What did you do, you freak! Where did you take him?" Gemma yelled.

Louis's eyes widened in shock. "Excuse me? He's in the fucking bedroom! Are you fucking senile?"

Gemma ignored him and ran to the room, bursting through the wooden door so hard it made the pictures on the shake.

Harry rose and offered his hand to Louis who looked miffed. His eyes had reverted to angry slits and Harry pinched the bridge of his nose. "Louis, don't hold it against her."

"I'll do whatever I damn well please." The demon huffed.

Harry placed a kiss on his cheek before following Gemma to the bedroom. The man laid with his arms crossed against his chest like a corpse, a single lily from Harry's plant outside in his large hands. Gemma was crying even harder into his chest and Harry gave Louis a dark look.

"What? It's a joke. He's not dead! You said it yourself!"

Harry punched him in the arm. "Have some class."

Louis pouted. "It's funny- you know what, nevermind." He pivoted on his heel and left down the hall muttering about humans and their lack of humor.

Harry rolled his eyes and fetched his grimoire from the altar. He sat on the bed by the man's body and started flipping through the pages. "I understand you're scared shitless right now but mind telling me what happened?"

Gemma looked up and Harry grimaced at her runny makeup. Much like how Harry's hair straightened itself when he got nervous, Gemma's hair changed colours. The platinum blonde she apparated with was now a striking shade of orange. His sister whipped her nose along her sleeve and stumbled through her words. "I- I don't know. One minute Zeph and I were fighting and the next he was screaming in pain before he passed out. No matter what I did he wouldn't w-wake up."

A headache bloomed behind his temples. "Okay… that's it? Lou said his soul was gone. Did you say something? Think something?"

Gemma's brow furrowed as she tried to remember. After a tense minute she gave up and started crying again. "I don't know. I can't remember! But I swear I didn't cast any spells! Harry you know me, I suck as a witch! I can't even brew a good luck spell!"

"Shut up, you are not. You're a great witch." He retorted.

"Gee, how sweet of you to say. Now back to my dead boyfriend please!"

Harry bit his lip and turned the pages faster. "But you had to have done something. Unless someone else targeted him but that wouldn't make sense… where were you fighting at?"

"His flat! I was sleeping and he came home pissed face and rowdy- wolves and the full moon you know? And normally it doesn't bother me but I had work all day and then a paper due so I was exhausted and I got mad he woke me up. So we started fighting which is so stupid but I was tired and he was all keyed up and then I pushed him and he collapsed!"

Harry scratched his head. "How the fuck did his soul leave then? You're sure, like positive, you didn't say anything?"

Gemma glared at him. "I told you I didn't!" 

"How did you know it was magick then? What if it was medical?"

Gemma stared at her hands. "I just knew okay? The second he lost consciousness my magic flared up. Hermes- you know my patron? Well after Zeph fell his picture I kept on the altar cracked. Like a sign. And then Jinx kept meowing at me and my magick got all weird and I knew. I did something but for the life of me I can't figure out what. The only thing I felt was anger." She sniffed and fat tears pooled in her eyes. "And now he's like this."

Harry grabbed both her hands with one of his. He felt the droplets of her grief and his heart twisted. "It's okay, Gems. We'll figure it out."

As if on cue Zeph's body began to tremble. His eyelids scrunched in discomfort and his legs jerked as if trying to run. Instantly Gemma was shaking him. "Z! Z, come on. Please! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Zeph."

His head lulled to the side like a broken doll and Gemma screamed, hitting her thigh in grief and self hatred. 

Harry watched as Zeph's body began to shake again and a light bulb went off in his head. "Gems, he's trying to call his soul back!"

Gemma's head whipped to him. "What?"

Harry was already grabbing Zeph by his ankles. "I'll explain in a sec, grab his arms! We need to get him into the bathtub."

Gemma looked at him as if he grew a second head but didn't refuse. Instead she hauled Zeph up by his armpits and the siblings started dragging him to the bathroom. In the hallway Harry caught Louis's eyes. He was sitting on the kitchen counter eating left over lasagna. 

"A little help?" He wheezed. 

Louis rose a brow and at Gemma's colorful language he turned his head and tipped his nose up in distaste. Harry glowered at him then yelped when one of Zeph's legs kicked him in the stomach. "Gemma next time you curse your boyfriend can you not pick someone who's over two hundred pounds?"

Gemma pinned him with a dark look. "Oh I'm sorry Harry. I'll try to keep that in fucking mind, yeah?"

Finally the pair hauled Zeph's body into the tub. Gemma collapsed on the toilet lid and Harry braced himself on his knees. After they caught their breath Gemma blew a piece of orange hair out of her face. "Now what?"

Harry pointed to the bedroom. "Grab the grimoire and the dagger. I'll get the other stuff."

They split ways and Harry ignored Louis as he started rooting around in the kitchen. Harry could feel the demon watching his every move, knew he was waiting for him to say something, to think something, to ask for something. But if Louis knew anything about Harry it was that he could be down right obstinate when he wanted too. Plus this was Harry's field of expertise. If anyone could help Zeph it was him.

So why did he have such a bad feeling?

Louis broke the terse silence first. "Hazzy, you know it won't be that simple."

Harry hid his pout behind a container of himilayan salt. "It's our best bet. Zeph is already trying to call his soul back. Maybe if we give him a little push…"

"You know, half the power in a spell is believing it will work."

Harry gritted his teeth and grabbed a handful of dried sage. He turned and strode out of the kitchen, not uttering a single word. He heard Louis sigh and bit his cheek. 

Gemma was already lighting candles when he returned. He passed her a few of the jars and motioned to the tub. "Fill it up until most of his body is submerged. Add the lilac and frankincense and mugwort once your done."

Gemma nodded and juggled the jars in her arms. "Right…. what are we doing exactly?"

Harry sat the grimoire on the tile and flipped to the page with the sigil on it. He took out a piece of chalk and began scraping it against the tile. "We're going to open the chakras so his body is spiritually alined and then summon his soul back."

Gemma cranked the faucet on full blast and shook the jar of salt. "And that'll work?"

Harry shrugged, his palms becoming sweaty. "It should. I've never called a soul back to a body, but it shouldn't be too different from calling a soul in general."

Gemma pulled a face. "Not to be an asshole but you don't have the greatest track record when it comes to this stuff." She kicked the bathmat with her boot. "Maybe we should ask Louis?"

Harry exhaled sharply. "No. One, you pissed him off. Secondly, he doesn't get involved with spirit work anymore."

Gemma scoffed. "But he's a demon. Isn't that his purpose or whatever? Plus I thought he helped you with shit like this?"

"No, not really. He gives me advice or stuff but he doesn't meddle with witch work too often. It was a demand from the Coven."

"I'm so confused."

Harry waved his hand. "Whatever, can we focus please? Make a circle with the salt."

Gemma shut up and she and Harry worked to set up the spell. When they were done the bathroom was damp with steam and smelled like a Bath and Body Works. Harry stood with a hand from Gemma and then he took the dagger. His sister eyed it apprehensively but as Zeph's body twitched she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 

Harry took the dagger and pressed it into his palm, a dark red stream of blood following in its wake. 

"Haz."

Harry ignored the demon and grabbed Gemma's hand and cut an identical wound to his own. 

"Haz, it won't work."

Gemma's eyes flittered to Louis's and then back to Harry's. He squeezed her palms and with a steel resolution said, "Repeat after me," He breathed in and opened his body to magick. 

"Spirit from the other side,  
Come to us who call you near,  
Come to us and settle here.  
Blood to Blood, I summon thee,  
Blood to Blood, Return to me"

Gemma stumbled over the words the first few times but after a moment she got it. Soon the muggy bathroom was filled with their synchronized chanting. Harry felt his magick unfurl and tangle with Gemma's, felt her light and love and power. The sigil under their feet glowed and casted sparks. Zeph's body thrashed in the water and he and Gemma chanted louder, bodies swelling with magick until Harry feared they might pop.

And that's when Harry felt it. In his mind's eye he could see Zeph's soul, which was in the form of a giant fucking wolf, pacing in a pitch black void. His yellow eyes bloodshot and frantic. Harry tried calling out to him and felt hope rise in his chest when the wolf's ears swiveled towards him. Harry yelled again and reached his arms out only to be blocked by some sort of barrier.

Gemma's grip tightened on his hands and Harry knew she could feel Zeph as well. Their magick amplified and Harry stretched his arms farther, Zeph's soul clawing against the invisible boundary. The sigil burst into flame and Harry dived deeper, his body swaying.

"Haz, Harry- stop!"

Again he ignored Louis. 

Gemma fell to her knees and started crying out as in pain. Harry kept a tight hold on her and pushed and pushed, using every ounce of strength to keep Zeph's soul in his peripheral. 

He gritted his teeth and allowed his body to open up to more than just their spell. He pictured the portal he opened as a child, pictured Zeph crawling out of it and returning to his body. 

Hands clamped his shoulder and jostled him. "Harry knock it off! You're going in too deep!"

Harry concentrated on Zeph, saw the man standing just on the other side of the portal. Zeph extended his hand and Harry made a desperate reach for it. Their fingers touched and then intertwined. Harry smiled in relief and met Zeph's eyes.

But it wasn't Zeph anymore.

The man had dark hair and skin, but his features were sharp, his eyes black as coal.

He smiled, fangs pearly white.

Harry froze.

The man yanked Harry into the portal and he screamed. Then there was nothing but black and a sickening feeling like Harry would never see the mortal plain again. 

Gemma's head felt like it was going to split in two. 

She pried her eyes open and blinked trying to make the black spots that clouded her vision go away. Her body felt like cement and her palms stung. Her memory was fuzzy. What had she been doing?

Clawing her way onto shaky knees she saw the sigil on the floor, frankincense assaulted her nose and the bathroom tiles were wet.

Beside her Harry's body laid limp and it all came rushing back to her. The fight withl Zeph, running to Harry for help, the grimoire, the spell.

Gemma looked at Zeph's body in the tub. He wasn't moving and his skin looked translucent. Harry was no better. His body strewn about like a toy and Gemma's anxiety sky rocketed when she touched his hand only to feel ice cold skin.

"Harry? Harry!" She whimpered. She shook her little brother's body with no response. 

"Don't touch him."

Strong hands flung her back into the sink and she cussed. She glared at Louis who's body was half covered in an inky black mist. "What did you mean? Harry's hurt!"

Louis's eyes pinned her in place, snake like slits eclipsing the blue irises. Gemma felt a prinprick of fear as he slunk down into his hands and knees resembling a beast. She watched as the demon gathered her brother in his arms, petting his face. He was mumbling something to low to hear. 

"Louis what happened? What's wrong with him?"

The demon ignored her and picked Harry up like a bride. A corpse bride. 

He carried Harry's despondent body out of the bathroom and Gemma struggled to follow, knees knocking into each other. It took her a minute to gain control of her body. Pain bloomed in her joints and her head threatened to split again. She mashed her teeth together and limped after Louis, using the wall to support her weight. 

Louis was laying Harry down on the bed and propped his head up with a mountain of pillows. The demon curled around her brother's body and held him close to his chest. Gemma saw the twinkle of tears on his face and she nearly collapsed. 

In all her years of knowing Louis she had never seen him show an inch of remorse, let alone cry. 

Something was wrong.

"Louis, is he dead?"

"No."

Gemma raked in a shuddering breath. Good, that was good.

"But he's close. His soul is in the Realm."

Gemma's jaw dropped. "What? What do you mean? How-"

Gemma jumped back as Louis's face pressed against hers. She had never in all her life been as close to the demon as she was now. Brimstone filled the air and Gemma felt a thousand emotions- fear, pain, anger, guilt, shame. The insane impulse to throw herself at the demon's feet and beg for mercy possessed her. 

"It's your fault. If you hadn't sent your boy toy to dreamland we wouldn't be in this mess. It's because of your lack of constraint and Harry's hubris that he's gone!"

Tears of fright pooled in her eyes as Louis spoke with two voices. Steeling herself she pushed right back into his space. "If you think for a second I wanted this you're stupider than I thought. I love Zeph and I love my brother, which clearly love is something you know nothing about! If you did you'd be trying to help me fix this instead of scaring me half to death!"

Louis pulled back and regarded her with dead eyes. "God, I liked you better as Joan of Arc. At least you had some drive back then. Now you're just a sorry excuse for a witch."

Gemma blinked. "Joan of- what the fuck does that have to do with anything?" 

Louis went back to the bed and caressed Harry's face. 

Gemma pulled at her hair- which was a muddy green, ew- and blew out a frustrated breath. She didn't understand the demon's lack of action. For years he had proclaimed to love Harry, had protected him from bullies and nightmares and heartbreak. So why was it that when her brother needed help more than ever Louis was standing by idle?

Deciding that Louis was a lost cause she stalked back to the bathroom and scooped up the grimoire. She paused by Zeph's body and kissed his forehead.

If this was her fault she would fix it. Even if it was the last thing she'd ever do. 

Harry felt like he had been vaccum sealed in plastic. His skin felt tight, like it was suffocating him. All around him was black, still and cold like space except there were no stars or planets. Only himself and a crushing loneliness. 

Something poked his back and he jerked. Scrambling forward on his hands and knees he crawled away from the foreign presence. Horrific memories of the spectors and ghouls he witnessed as a child stole his breath away. No way, not again.

The thing behind him snorted and then a heavy weight pounced on his back and held him down. Harry began to cry. Louis. Where was Louis?

The creature opened it's jaws and Harry saw rows of sharp teeth.

Canine teeth.

His fear was replaced with joy when Zeph's wolf licked the side of his face.

"Zeph! Jesus Christ, do you know what we've been through trying to get you out of here?" He exclaimed. 

Zeph cocked his head to the side and nudged him. Harry buried his fingers in his neck fur and shivered at the warmth. Zeph laid his body in Harry's lap and basked in his affections. If this place was terrifying for Harry he couldn't imagine how the werewolf was feeling.

Harry took the time to really anaylized his surroundings. Surprisingly there was no spirits lurking in corners and waiting to pick Harry apart. Just nothing. No sound, no smells, and the only light came from the ethereal glow of their souls.

A dark laugh shook the ground beneath them and Zeph started growling. Harry dug his hands farther into his fur and hung on for dear life. 

Suddenly a beam of light materialized in front of them and the man who pulled Harry into the portal was sauntering his way over.

Zeph bared his teeth and drool hit Harry's thigh. The man gave Zeph an unimpressed glance and waved his hand. Zeph flew into the dark reaches of the prison and let out a hurt yip. Harry jumped to his knees but was halted by the man's hands sliding around his throat. 

His eyes burned a hole through Harry, intense hatred and disgust making him go still. "We need to talk."

Gemma stomped into the bedroom and thrust the grimoire under Louis's nose. Or she would have if the demon didn't turn his head and cut his wrist, forcing her brother to drink his blood.

She dropped the book repulsed. "What in the hell?"

Louis's aura had grown incredibly dark in their time apart. No humor or mirth clouded his face. The air around him was menacing as if he would have no qualms about killing a person dumb enough to get close. But she was Harry's sister and the knowledge his brother had a firm rule about Louis causing harm to his loved ones gave her a small safety net.

"His body is shutting down. His spirit has been gone too long."

"What about Zeph?"

"I could care less. Besides, he's in better shape. Harry's different. His soul has already spliced once."

Gemma swallowed down her protests and picked up the grimoire. "I think I know what's happening."

Louis's brows rose. 

Gemma carried on. "When we did the spell I saw Zeph's soul. He was in like, this black box with walls around it. He was trying to get out but something was holding him there. I found this chapter in the book. It talks about demons and their method of harboring souls."

Louis gave her a blank look. "I know." Gemma opened her mouth but he cut her off. "Its a demon I'm familiar with actually. He's the one holding your boyfriend hostage."

Gemma whacked him with the book. Louis growled and Gemma hit him three more times. After she was done and Louis looked ready to strangle her she threw the book on the bed. "If you knew this whole time why didn't you say something! Why did you wait?"

Louis's tongue flicked out, forked like a snake's. "Because I didn't figure it out until Harry was already being lured in! You don't think I would've stopped him?"

"So why is this thing taking their souls? The only demon I've ever met is you."

Louis's face turned violent. Talons grew from his fingers and his tongue slithered out as if tasting his own anger. "Because this stopped being about you a few hours ago. Zeph was just bait, a bargaining chip. What they really wanted was Harry."

Gemma anchored her hands on her hips so she wouldn't hit him. "So I didn't curse Zeph? It was this demon thing?"

"No, you did." Gemma's hopes dropped. "But that's besides the point. I know this demon like the back of my hand. If he gets what he wants there's a fifty-fifty chance he'll let Zeph go." 

Gemma eyed her brother's body and then an idea hit her. "What if we gave him some incentive?"

A devilish smirk possessed Louis's face as his eyes flashed. "What did you have in mind, Ms. Arc?"

"There's something you need to know and I've taken it upon myself to tell you."

"You couldn't have sent an email?" Harry inquired dryly.

The demon laughed, the sound too bright for the space around them. He grabbed Harry's arm and marched him further in the darkness. Harry craned his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of Zeph, but all he saw was a vast emptiness. 

"By now I'm sure you're well aware about your contract with Louis." The demon started.

Unease rolled through Harry. "Yes."

"And this contract states that when you die, and I mean for good, he'll collect your soul and move onto the next unlucky mortal."

Harry dug his heels into the ground and ripped his arm back. The demon paid no mind to his actions and continued talking. "Which would be fine and dandy if you weren't a demon yourself."

"I think you got your facts wrong. In case you haven't noticed I'm a human."

The demon smiled. "I knew he wouldn't have told you."

Harry threw up his hands. "Pray tell, what is it with demons and cryptic messages? Why can't you ever get to the point?"

The smile grew until Harry feared it would split the man's face. "Because demons can't just throw words around nilly-willy. You were a perfect example of that."

Harry tapped his foot impatiently. "Can we hurry this up? I kinda had plans tonight."

The demon's eyes burned with amusement. "Your soul has reincarnated for millennia. Even before it became the soul of a mortal. But before that you were someone important, special, revered." The demon began to circle him with calculated steps. "Do you know why Louis came to you that night? Why he has come to you every night since? Why as a flea-bitten orphan burned in flames you managed to call one of the most powerful demons in the world?"

Harry swallowed. "Because of my magick."

"And where does a mortal such as yourself get this magick? What possessed the universe to endow you of all people, with this gift?"

"I don't know."

The demon stopped in front of him. Harry could see twisted horns protruding from his head, a leathery tail whipping behind him. "Because Harry, you were never mortal. In your very first Incarnation you went by the name of Lilith. Mother to the first demons, lover of Samuel, cursed to haunt the world as a bitter woman cast down from all things good and pure." 

A cackle escaped Harry's mouth. "Why would I believe a word out of your mouth?"

The man flashed behind him and grasped the nape of Harry's neck. In two swift movements Harry was brought to his knees and head forced down as if to pray. "Because, I was Samuel. I was your husband. The father of your children. The only thing idiotic enough to love you."

Blood bubbled past Harry's lips. His vision was growing fuzzy, the ground in front of him a misty white. "I think you have me confused with someone else."

The demon kneeled with him, an arm wrapping around his waist as he forced Harry's head to stay adjacent to the ground. "Look upon the memories I have saved for you, beloved."

A tiny voice inside Harry told him to close his eyes but the demon kept them pried apart. Harry struggled as the mist below started to suck him in but it was to no avail. Harry plunged head first into a world beyond his own.

"There's a pretty significant chance you'll die." Louis informed her for the tenth time.

Gemma nodded and slipped the last two crystal bracelets on her wrist. "Yeah, you've said that." She paused and eyed the demon sheepishly. "Explain to me again why you aren't going?"

Louis pushed air through his teeth and whistled. "Because the second he feels me enter the Realm he'll kill Zeph and Harry. You on the other hand are a pretty human girl with magick and a pulse. You got more to work with. And it was your idea."

Gemma twirled a piece of her yucky colored hair. "Yeah, well… I'm not the smartest person."

Louis patted her head and cooed, "But you are such a good girl." 

Gemma pushed his hand away and shook her arms out. She bounced on her feet to dispel the nervous energy within her then held out her hands. "Okay, I'm ready."

Louis took her hands and stared at her expectantly. Gemma frowned. "What?"

Louis grinned and punched her in the stomach. Gemma gasped and fell forward as Louis's hands pressed against her soul. There was an excruciating pressure for a moment before she passed out. She heard Louis whisper, "Good luck, Ms. Arc." And everything went black.

Harry was in a paradise unlike he'd ever dreamt. The ground was covered in soft green grass, trees and plants lush with fruits, crystal blue water babbled over brooks and the sun enveloped him in warm light. 

He looked down to see a woman's body, beautifully sculpted with no imperfections, hair like fire swaying gently in the breeze. In front of him laid his partner, Adam - divine masculinity. 

But Adam did not regard her as his equal. Adam looked at Lilith with disdain and hatred. Why did she not kneel before him? Why did she not bow to his wants and desires?

Because she didn't want to. 

No, Lilith wanted to rule this plain as herself, bold and independent. Beautiful and untamed.

Adam had bellowed out to their Creator, spewing falsehoods from his mouth at Lilith's expense. The Creator had answered cruelly, casting Lilith from Eden and branding her a traitor. In her place stood Eve, Adam's puppet born from his own rib.

Lilith laid broken and bloody on the hard rock beneath her, tears drowning the new world in her sorrow and betrayal. Unwanted, not needed. Useless.

Hate filled her body until it seared the Holy Divinity from within her. 

In her rage a large serpent appeared, eyes bluer than the sky she had loved so much in Eden. The serpent hissed sweet nothings in her ear, consolingly her, stirring the mess of emotions in her. She and the serpent laid together, the only warmth in the dark landscape came from the places their bodies touched.

Lilith spoke of revenge and the serpent agreed.

She watched as the serpent infiltrated paradise, coiled around Eve and persuaded her to eat the apple. Lilith laughed for the first time in months when the Creator threw the couple from Eden. Adam's own flesh and blood the cause for his downfall.

Lilith and the serpent, who called himself Lilu in her honor, shared many nights together. Her belly swelled with his child and happiness bloomed in her heart.

Then the life inside her died prematurely and Lilith was casted further into the darkness. The love from Lilu morphed into hatred and one night the serpent wrapped around her and bit into her neck. He slithered away and left Lilith for dead. 

Unwanted, not needed, useless.

Lilith met the dark angel Samuel, a being who loved and appreciated all things misunderstood and evil. He took her as his consort and together they sired three sons. All who hated Lilith just as Adam did. Like the Creator did. Like Lilu did.

Unwanted, not needed, useless.

Lilith spent the rest of her days searching for love. She and Samuel birthed many children, most who loved Lilith just as desperately as she wanted. Her children filled the world with hate and with compassion. Two parts of a whole.

The older she became, the more heartache and abuse she experienced by man, the more she wished for death. She left Samuel, left her rotted throne, and hid in the caves. She laid there until her flesh sunk into her bones, until thirst and hunger drove her insane. Until she forgot what the sun ever looked like, felt like. 

Unwanted, not needed, useless.

Lilith died all alone in the dark and damp. 

A Creator far kinder than her own took mercy on Lilith. They turned her body into flowers and took her soul, giving it blessings and placing it into a human babe.

Lilith was born as a young girl with no name, and out from the caves she escaped.

Harry reared back into the black void so violently he pushed the demon from his back. He lay grasping and sobbing.

Samuel looked down on him, shadows of torment and conspiracy in his eyes.

"Why? Why show me that?" Harry whimpered.

Samuel bowed his head. "Do you know what's worse than the love of your life abandoning you?" The fallen angel sunk his claws into Harry's throat until he gagged on blood. "Watching that love be reborn time and time again, memories of your time together disappearing all together. And then when you give up hope, turn your back, your love slithers their way back to the very monster that killed them in the first place."

The angel removed his hand and Harry clawed at the ground, curling in on himself.

Unwanted, not needed, useless.

Samuel brushed his curls from his forehead. "Lilu, Louis, does not love you. He never did. He merely wanted you for his own devices and when you failed he tried to kill you. He's killed you a hundred times over as a mortal. Do not be fooled, Lilith."

Unwanted, not needed, useless.

Harry- Lilith- was alone once more in the dark and damp.

But then a blinding light struck him and Harry looked up. Some trick of the mind?

"Get your slimy demon hands off my little brother!"

"G-Gemma?" Harry whispered.

Gemma hurried to him and held Harry's broken body to her chest. "What did you do to him!"

Samuel smiled. "Something that should have been done sooner." His black eyes appraised Gemma. "You're quite beautiful for a mortal."

Gemma let out a disbelieving laugh. "Fuck off. After everything you've done flattery will get you no where. Now where's Zeph?"

Samuel waved his hand and Zeph's wolf appeared next to Gemma. His sister squealed and pulled Zeph to her. The wolf nipped her ear in irritation but Gemma didn't care. She cried as she held him to her.

Love.

It made Harry sick to his stomach.

Gemma met Samuel's eyes. "I've come to make a bargain with you. So we can go home and you can piss off forever."

Samuel's laugh echoed in the darkness and Zeph huddled closer to Gemma, teeth bared. "I don't make deals with saints." He sneered.

Harry and Zeph started at Gemma questioningly, but the young woman ignored them with a blush on her cheeks. "I want us to go home. I've got a demon on the other side who would love nothing more than to tear you limb from limb."

At the mention of Louis Harry recoiled.

Samuel's grin burned into his mind.

"Tell him I'll have to take a rain check." He motioned towards the darkness where a door appeared. "This will take you, Zephaniya, and Harry home. Due give Louis my regards." He leaned down and whispered into Harry's ear. "If you ever need me, call me by my new name. Zayn."

Gemma tittered nervously. "Okay bye! See you hopefully never. Thanks for the door?" And then Gemma was dragging Harry and Zeph through the portal.

Zayn's eyes never left Harry's.

Harry startled awake. He patted himself finding soft flesh and bone. He let out a huge breath of relief and crashed onto the bed. He was home. The bessom he had prepared a comforting weight by his side.

In the bathroom he could hear Gemma and Zeph arguing, then silence and Harry figured they were probably making out or something.

A hand that Harry thought could never do him harm touched his face. He turned his head and saw Louis with a guarded expression. "Hazzy?"

"Lilu."


End file.
